Thill-coupling



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' G. EHTTON.

(Np Modem THILL GOUPLING.

Pate p 30, 1889,

INVENTORI ATTORNEY.

' (IIQModel.) 2 Sheets-#Sheet 2.' G'. E. BUTTON'. y y THILL GOUPLING.Ilm-402,527. Patented Apr. 30, 1889.

, WITNESSES: INVENTOR':

ATTORNEY.

ha. l

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

-GEORGE I-I. HUTTON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,527, dated April30, 1889.

l Application filed March 5, 1889. Serial No. 301,899. (No model.)

To aZZwr/om t may concern.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE H. BUTTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to a coupling for uniting shafts or pole to thefront axle of a vehicle.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a side view of the parts, the axle being in section. Fig. 2is a top view of the same parts. Fig. 3 is a section view of thethill-coupling, taken on the line 3 3. Fig. 4 is a back View of the hookpresser-plate. Fig. 5

shows a modification of the presser-plate.

Figs. 6 and 7 are side and section views showing a modification of thepresser-plate. Fig. 8 is a front view of the modified form ofpresser-plate. Fig. 9 is a view of the modified form of yoke-plate forthe clip.

The letter A designates the axle of a vehicle; B, the usual clip whichsurrounds the axle and to which part of the coupling is attached. Thisclip has .the two customary ears, c, and an ordinary bolt, d, acrossfrom one ear to the other serves for the attachment of the shaftiron E.l

The special construction which constitutes my invention will now bedescribed.

The shaft E has the usual iron, E, provided at its end with a hook, f,whose point f projects downward. This hook couples with the bolt d. Tocouple or uncouple the shaft E does not require the removal of the bolt.The hook f is so shaped that when the forward end of the shaft E israised, as in Fig. l, to the usual position it has when anI animal ishitchedl to it, the point f which projects downward, will also inclineforward below the bolt d. In order to couple or uncouple the shaft-hookf from the bolt, the forward end of the shaft must be lowered andallowed to rest on the ground. Thereby the hook-point f will projectstraight downward. It will then simply be necessary, while the forwardend of the shaft is on the ground, to lower or raise the hook end of thesh aft, first forcing the presser-- plate G back from the hook.

two ears c. In Figs. l to 5 this plate is shown as taking around theexterior of the ears. The presser-plate has at its front side and top abeak or boss, h, which bears against and over the hook f. A spring, I,presses forward the plate G and keeps it hard against the hook, andthereby preventsthe latter uncoupling from the bolt d. The back of theplate Ghas a socket, i, and the front of the axle-clip B also has asocket, j, and the spiral spring I has its ends resting in these twosockets. The yoke-plate k below the axle, which unites the two ends ofvthe clip -B, has one end, k, projecting forward, and is provided-on topwith a grip-notch, l, which receives the lower part of the presser-plateG and coacts with the spring I in keeping the beak or boss h hardagainst the hook.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the lower part of the plate G is notdesigned to be gripped by the grip-notch l.

In Figs. 6, 7, and S the presser-plate is shown as seated between thetwo ears c and loosely attached thereto by the lateral lugs m on', two

of which take below the .said ears and two.

above. It will be seen that this construction of presser-plate operatessubstantially like that shown in Figs. 4 and 5. i

The yoke-plate 7c, to co-operate with the form of presser-plate shown inFig. S, is provided at its forward-projectin g end with a slot, l',which receives the lower end, n, of the presser-plate. The presser-platemay have at its top a hooklug, o, which will afford means for engaging asuitable lever when it is desired to force the said plate back from thehook.

This 'coupling may be used with shafts or poles of vehicles.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In a thill or pole coupling,the combination of the clip having two ears, c, a bolt, d,

the iron provided with a downward-proj ecting' hook, f, a presser-plate,G, loosely attached to the clip-ears and having a beak or boss, h, whichbears against the said hook, and a spring, I, between the clip andpresser-plate.

2. In a thill or pole coupling, the combination of the clip having twoears, c, a bolt7 d, the iron provided with a downward-proj ecting Apresser-plate G is loosely attached to the IOC) hook, f, apresser-plate, G, loosely attached to plate, G, loosely attached to theelip-ears and the Clip-ears and having a beak or boss, 7l, having in itsback a socket, t', and a spiral which bears against the said hook, ayokespring` having one end in the clip-socket and plate uniting the twoends of the clip and havthe other end in the plate-socket.

5 ing one end projected forward and holding In testimony whereof Iafiixmy signature in the lowel` part of the presser-plate, and a the presenceof two witnesses. y spring between the clip and presser-platel Y A f 1 1In a thill or pole coupling, the ooinbina- GEO' U' HUlq ON' tion of theclip having two ears7 c, anda socket lVitnesses:

1o in the front part, a bolt, d, the iron provided JOHN E. MORRIS, witha downward-proj eoting hook, f, a presser- JNO. T. MADDOX.

